Beeblebrox - Oct 24, 2005 06:34pm

It seems just a little bit hypocritical for Congress to pass unprecedented protection for the gun industry and the fast food industry from so-called “frivolous” lawsuits and wrongful deaths.

But rather than pass the same protection for games and the movie industry, they are actually seeking MORE regulation and passing blame to those industries over violent and sexual content.  One noted attorney, Jack Thompson, is filing lawsuit after lawsuit against the gaming industry for wrongful deaths he says are directly caused by video games.

So what gives?  Obviously I have my theories, and they are of a deeply partisan nature, but what are your opinions?  Is it JUST money?  Is it JUST politics?  Is it JUST ideology?  Or is there a way to explain away this hypocrisy with rational, reasoned arguments? [hahahahahaha!]

For the record, I am against ANY such protection for industry from liability claims.  While there are obviously frivolous suits, you can’t throw out the baby with the bath water and allow major industries to be free from any and all responsibility for their products.

Who else can the media blame for deaths?

michaelstone - Oct 30, 2005 07:53pm

Beeblebrox - Oct 24, 2005 06:34pm

For the record, I am against ANY such protection for industry from liability claims.  While there are obviously frivolous suits, you can’t throw out the baby with the bath water and allow major industries to be free from any and all responsibility for their products.

Well-said. I don’t see why the gun industry can get away with absolutely no responsibility when GTA becomes controversial for putting a sex scene in THAT WASN’T EVEN MEANT FOR THE USER TO SEE.

The government is screwed up, that’s why.

BigMac - Oct 30, 2005 10:16pm

michaelstone - Oct 30, 2005 07:53pm

Beeblebrox - Oct 24, 2005 06:34pm

For the record, I am against ANY such protection for industry from liability claims. While there are obviously frivolous suits, you can’t throw out the baby with the bath water and allow major industries to be free from any and all responsibility for their products.

Well-said. I don’t see why the gun industry can get away with absolutely no responsibility when GTA becomes controversial for putting a sex scene in THAT WASN’T EVEN MEANT FOR THE USER TO SEE.

And doesn’t GTA carry an 18 or over rating? Parents who want to blame the games should take a look in the mirror.

It is rated M for mature, you can’t buy it if you are under 18, so it is essentially the parents fault.

Wundryn - Oct 31, 2005 12:43pm

Really, what’s a little pixelated porn compared to virtual murder and stealing cars, too hot coffee and guns.


Wondering if there is an article that goes with the original question. Reason I am asking is that I don’t see the connection between the industries. Did all 4 go into together to lobby for this protection and 2 got kicked? Politically speaking, it sounds like those latter 2 need better lobbies.

Generally speaking folks need to get back to being responsible for their own actions. Thats includes all folks whether you are talking about a guy that bought a sandwich or an industry, it’s just people. I think there was a time when people could put petty disagreements aside and work together towards common goals for the benefit of everyone. Now we can’t decide on what to agree on. Even on that rare occasion when we do, we argue about how to do it, often missing opportunities because of it. Remember when progress was one of those common goals we could rally around? Now it is more commonly treated as a possession, an excuse, or a weapon. It pisses me off that we have let ourselves get to a point where we have to legislate behavior.  It only serves to divide us further. We are nit-picking ourselves to death. We got ourselves in this mess together and that is the only way we are going to get out. To be clear laws are a good thing, just not the only answer. Especially now when so many people out there think that it is wrong to tell someone they are wrong. Just my 2c.

GTA is probably a fun game, I have never played it. I have heard lots but I just couldn’t make myself buy a game that’s about the bad guy winning. This is one of those things that bugs me. I’m a gamer, I know what’s up, you can argue ratings all you want but you know who the target is. I know, you know and the gaming companies know that kids are going to get their hands on it regardless. What I have a problem with is that it’s ok. Parents say it’s ok because “kids will be kids” , the industries say it’s ok because we met our legal obligation, and kids think it’s ok because “everybody’s doing it” or my personal favorite because someone else is doing something worse so by comparison “this” is not so bad. So who is right?

I hate the whole idea, since I remember when video games were more fun than violent, like mario.

Beeblebrox - Oct 31, 2005 05:55pm

Wundryn - Oct 31, 2005 12:43pm

Wondering if there is an article that goes with the original question. Reason I am asking is that I don’t see the connection between the industries

The connection is the underlying “principle” behind legislation that protects an entire industry from liability for its own products.  What the lawmakes in this case are saying is that the industry cannot be blamed for what people do with its products.

And that’s fine on its face, whether you agree with that or not.

BUT, these SAME lawmakers are seeking to pass legislation that actually regulates the video game industry and lays BLAME on the products for the later violent conduct of kids who play them.

Doesn’t it seem to you like those two stances contradict each other?

Maybe a little but I would have to say that I see a definate difference between a gun and a video game that makes the object comminting a crime with a gun. That is why they need to be addressed one at a time taking into account all things involved. The comparison doesn’t prove anything to me. 

Having said that I do think that everybody should have some protection from the kind of law suits (and the lawyers that go with them) that only exist for personal gain. It costs us all whether you are a individual or an industry, that is the way it works. So it is in the the best interest of all of us to do something about those that seek to take advantage.